INDONESIA OPEN 2010 Day 3 – Winning streaks by unseeded players

If most of the seeded players cruised through the first round of Djarum Indoneisa Open Super Series 2010, the second round saw different fates for many favourites in the tournament as they failed their tests to march to the quarter-finals. Among the fallen seeds were Markis Kido (photo) / Hendra Setiawan and Koreans Shin Baek Cheol / Lee Hyo Jung.

By: Serla Rusli and Ira Ratnati, reporting ‘live’ from Stadium Istora Senayan, Jakarta. Photos: Badmintonphoto (live)

Fang Chieh Min / Lee Sheng Mu look set to become permanent nemeses of Markis Kido / Hendra Setiawan. After dumping the world #2 Indonesians last week in Singapore, the Chinese Taipei duo re-enacted their victory in Round 2 of Djarum Indonesia Open Super Series 2010. Albeit showing a more visible sign of fight against Fang/Lee this time round, Kido/Setiawan had to surrender their quarter-final spot in 27-25, 16-21, 10-21.

Fang/Lee definitely proved their worth when they became the champions at Singapore Open Super Series last week. En route to their crown, they also defeated Boe/Mogensen (DEN) and Gunawan/Bach (USA). This week in Jakarta, they showed the world that their victory not simply out of sheer luck.

“Our opponents were simply playing really fast. Even when we tried to slow the game down, they still maintained their speed,” admitted Kido on their inability to match the Taiwan pair’s pace.

“Men’s doubles is becoming more and more competitive now,” reasoned Hendra on having been shown out of the competitions twice in a row by the same unseeded pair.

As Fang/Lee triumphed over the host country’s favourites, they are set to play against Tony Gunawan / Howard Bach (USA) in a rematch of Singapore Open Super Series final of last Sunday.

Indonesians ‘mixed’ it up for seeded players

Markis Kido may have to go home empty handed but Hendra Setiawan’s journey in Indonesia Open still continues as he and her Russian partner Anastasia Russkikh upset fourth seeded Songphon Anugritayawon / Kunchala Voravichitchaiku in a fast-paced 19-21, 21-14, 21-19 match.

The Thai pair was only one in the long list of seeded players that faltered under the pressure of their lower-ranked opponents. Shin Baek Cheol / Lee Hyo Jung, seeded fifth, failed to advance to the quarter-finals as they were stopped by host country’s Fran Kurniawan Teng / Pia Zebadiah Bernadet in 21-10, 19-21, 16-21.

Taking on the baton from their compatriots, Muhammad Rijal / Debby Susanto (photo) was next to create an upset against sixth seeded Nathan Robertson / Jenny Wallwork. It was a surprisingly easy win for the pair ranked 44^th in the world as the English pair seemed to simply give up the match in 21-12, 21-13.

“We are playing in our home, so I was ready to fight hard for all my matches. We have been practising hard for this tournament, so I’m optimistic about my performance in this Super Series,” commented Rijal.

The Indonesians seemed to be controlling both games right from the start. “We could read their tactics. We tried our best to prevent them from pressuring us, so I kept Nathan busy running all the time,” shared Rijal about their strategy during the match.

“This is our Super Series. This is our home. That’s what gives us our motivation to do our best,” stated Debby.

The local atmosphere seemed to be giving additional boost for the Indonesians. Muhammad Ahsan / Bona Septano beat Malaysia’s Tan Bin Shen / Gan Teik Chai 21-18, 21-14. They were followed shortly after by Choong Tan Fook / Lee Wan Wah, who were sunk not by Indonesians, but by Koreans Cho Gun Woo / Kwon Yi Goo in 21-13, 21-10, echoing the fate of Kido/Setiawan in losing to the same upstart pair as last week.

Meanwhile, women’s doubles  was also afflicted by the home team’s will to succeed as Singapore Open semi-finalists Meiliana Jauhari / Greysia Polii shunned third seeds Petya Nedelcheva / Anastasia Russkikh in 13-21, 21-13, 21-13. Indonesian-Thai combination of Vita Marissa / Saralee Thoungthongkam (photo) thwarted second seed Japanese Mizuki Fuji / Reika Kakiiwa in undoubtedly one of the most exciting matches of the tournament so far.  Vita/Saralee had to fight hard throughout the 61-minute match before finally clinching it at 28-30, 21-13, 21-17.

Despite the exits of many of the tournament favourites, the quarter-final clashes of Indonesia Open Super Series are nothing short of exciting. While Lee Chong Wei will take on Japanese All-England wonderkid Kenichi Tago, Singapore Open winner Sony Dwi Kuncoro will face Malaysian Wong Choong Hann. Nova Widianto / Lilyana Natsir will have to take on Thailand’s Sudket Prapakamol / Saralee Thoungthongkam.

All results HERE

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